Babati, Manyara
A Specially dedicated Farming Booklet which provides guidelines on proper building of terraces on sloping grounds and flood prone areas has been launched.
The handout publication is a brainchild of Agricultural Experts at the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) based in the Makutupora Center of Dodoma.
It also involves major inputs from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Terraces are some of the best agroecology methods of containing soil erosion.
The biological technique has so far proved successful in various farmlands in the country.
At these times when prolonged drought occurs interchangeably with floods, soil erosion is among the major problems facing farmers as effects of climate change take a toll on the agricultural sector.
Now the farming experts have come up with the 38 pages booklet to assist local farmers on proper ways of making terraces.
It comes with specifications on measurements in length, height and spacing.
“It’s our high hope that this guidebook on terracing, apart from assisting farmers and extension workers, will also prove to be helpful to all other stakeholders,” states Elirehema Swai, the Coordinator for Research and Innovation at the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI)
The booklet was announced during the round table forum on agriculture which took place in Babati District of Manyara Region for three days.
It was held to help partakers in the agricultural sector achieve the set objectives stipulated under the Africa Rising Project implemented through the TARI Makutupora centre.
So far, most farmers in Dodoma, Manyara, Iringa, Njombe, Mbeya and Songwe Regions have successfully managed to address the problems of soil erosion and infertility through applying the taught technologies.
The initiative is being facilitated by the Biovision Foundation and implemented by the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), LEAD Foundation and The International Crops Research Institute of the Semi- Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
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